Artist Q&A: Andrew Field

Andrew Field

HCA: How did you get into art?

I got into Art at school in a big way and used to spend hours and hours working to the detriment of mu other subjects. My first exhibition was at the age of eighteen when I had an exhibition of my A-level paintings at my parent’s house. 

HCA: How do you start each piece? Do you generally have an idea about the image you’re going to create before you begin?

I start by thinking about my experiences and memories of being immersed in the landscape by watching videos or reviewing sketchbook studies and photos that I have taken. I do have an idea of what type of atmosphere I want to achieve but my paintings always throw up surprises and may suddenly change direction depending on my mood. 

HCA: What materials do you use and why?

I have used a wide range of materials throughout the years including enamel paint, watercolours, acrylics, oils and soft pastels. When I was working plein-air in Abu Dhabi from 2004 - 2011 I worked on Two Rivers handmade rag paper with Wallace Seymour watercolours and pastels. When back in the studio my preferred medium is oil paint and I have started to incorporate cold wax medium and beeswax paste into my work to achieve texture and develop a greater range of marks. I use Wallace Seymour Fine Art materials as the quality of the pigments are excellent. 

HCA: Where do you get your inspiration from?

I get inspiration from my surroundings and places that I visit, primarily remote areas with water courses and when atmospheric weather conditions are present. Last year I visited Cornwall with my family, which is where a lot of my inspiration comes from as I love the Cornish coastal landscape around St Ives and West Penwith.  

HCA: What’s your studio like?

My studio is a shed at the bottom of my garden that I have converted. I bought it in 2016 after returning from Abu Dhabi to live back in the UK. It is very small, but I have arranged all the materials in such a way to maximise the space. I reserve two walls for securing the canvases and panels and I always paint standing up. I do have a desk area which is used when working on paper. Most of the time it is very tidy and well organised. It’s a very airy and personal space where I can switch off from family life and focus on my Art. 

HCA: Are there any other artists (past or present) that inspire you?

There are so many artists that I admire past and present. JMW Turner is a huge inspiration for his interpretations of the British coast and I admire the work of Joan Eardley and Peter Lanyon for their individuality and acutely tuned sensibility to colour. The mark making and energy that both artists achieved in their semi abstract paintings is phenomenal and remains a constant inspiration. 

HCA: What is it you are trying to achieve in your pieces?

Within my paintings I am trying to achieve a sense of place and a feeling of atmosphere and tension created by adverse or changing weather conditions. In many respects due to my working process of layering, scraping, splattering, pouring and dragging paint over the surface I am investigating the hidden, and the changing qualities and characteristics of the landscape. 

HCA: How do you know when a piece is finished and when it’s the right time to stop?

It’s always hard to make that judgement but when you get the feeling it’s time to stop, I will often leave a painting for a few days and then take another look. I may even take the painting out of the studio and rehang in the house to take a second look. If I feel that the atmosphere, I want to achieve has been conveyed its complete. 

HCA: Are there any other art forms that you would like to try such as sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, painting etc? 

I do love printmaking and I would certainly like to explore the potential of creating a series of monotypes or possibly etchings. When working on aluminium panels I liken my approach to burnishing the surface as you would when etching. I often consider creating prints from the oil laden panels. 

HCA: What are you working on currently?

I am working on a new series of oil paintings and works on paper based on the Cornish landscape and coastline.